Livingston manager unveils FY2026 preliminary budget; public hearing set and water/sewer rate adjustments proposed

City Manager Grant Gager on June 17 presented the City Commission with a recommended fiscal 2026 budget totaling $31,775,333 and scheduled a public hearing and final‑adoption vote for July 15, 2025.

Gager said staff designed the balanced budget to fund specific operational improvements while keeping utility-rate increases limited. "We are recommending no increase in solid waste rates for fiscal 2026," Gager said, and proposed expanding food‑waste composting through a local partner with a drop‑off model at the public works site.

Major recommended items in the general and enterprise funds included: - Four full‑time firefighter/EMTs (one added to each shift), funded by reallocating some reserve funding to full‑time posts to reduce overtime and improve reliability for countywide EMS response. - Creation of an operations manager in Public Works to improve coordination across streets, water and sewer projects. -…